John Adams, Minna
The Niger State Police Command says it recovered over N16.6 million from different crime suspects across the state in 2019.
The Command also said that no fewer than 213 suspected criminals involved in various crimes were arrested across the state within the same period.
The state Commissioner of Police, Adamu Usman, who disclosed this in Minna at the weekend when he hosted the media in the state to a lunch and presentation of award in recognition of the media’s service to the Nigeria Police Force, pointed out that the crime suspects were arrested in connection with kidnapping, armed robbery, cattle rustling, rape and other sexual offences.
Giving the breakdown of the suspects arrested within the period, the Commissioner said 55 kidnappers, 48 armed robbers, 15 cattle rustlers and 95 rapists were arrested.
Of the 213 suspects that were arrested, the Commissioner said 150 of them have been charged to court, while 1,015 exhibits, including N16.6 million in cash, were recovered from the suspects.
The Commissioner maintained that the successes were recorded as a result of the “coordinated joint operations by personnel of Operation Puff-Adder and other specialised units of the police through intelligence reports at the disposal of the Command and collaboration with host communities in sharing relevant information with the police.”
While acknowledging the role of the media in the successes recorded, Commissioner Usman stressed that “media is one of the key instruments used by the Command to make its achievement known and acknowledged by members of the public.
“Therefore, the media is cardinal in informing, enlightening and educating the public in the fight against crimes and criminalities, hence the Command’s continuous collaboration with the media,” the police chief stated.
The climax of the gathering was the presentation of awards to some individuals and media houses in recognition of their contribution to crime reporting in the state.